High Street, Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2

A dream project, this flint faced, late C17th early C18th 3 bedroom cottage on the High Street in Rottingdean, 2 mins walk from the beach is ripe for development on a large plot with a gate and right of way along the back to its big, L shaped garden which inspires ideas, stnc. Just 10 minutes from Brighton and about 15 from its station serving London it’s ideal as a home or for holidays with 1110 sq. ft. (103m2) to play with and with recent tenants it’s good to go– but the irresistible bones of a beautiful seaside house are here with parquet flooring in the living room and dining room which has a fireplace, a modern kitchen with access to a store and the garden, a cellar you can stand in with plumbing for utility machine and a bathroom upstairs where two of the three double bedrooms have hand basins and the spacious principal is en-suite.

One of the few unspoilt, historic villages on the sunny Sussex coast, Rottingdean is a sought after destination as it has good schools, a village green with a pond and plenty of local shops, cafés and restaurants to explore, and Rudyard Kipling and pre-Raphaelite painter Burn Jones lived along the street. Known for its white cliffs, rock pools and quieter beaches than those in Brighton, Beacon Hill Nature Reserve and the famous black windmill are a 5 minute walk, so it’s easy to forget that this location is within a reasonable commute of Brighton, (the hospitals are within a 10-12 minute radius) the county town of Lewes as well as Gatwick and London.

Pretty as a picture, this Grade II listed, flint faced beauty radiates historic charm and it is only on closer inspection that you see there is secondary double glazing installed at the front. Inside, the front door opens directly into the inviting living room with windows to the front and back, and a decorative parquet floor underfoot to ensure a fuss free flow. Cottage by name but not by nature, this room has 11’2 x 10’9 (3.40m x 3.25m), so plenty of space to share and past the central staircase, the dining room is also light and spacious with a fireplace housing an electric fire and another beautiful floor beneath your feet, and a door leads through to the bright and cheerful kitchen which is lined with windows to bring the outside in.

A modern classic with a practical layout and working surfaces, this kitchen opens to a big storeroom and the garden, and it is good to go with plumbing for two machines (although the cellar also has plumbing and extra storage), and there is designated space for an electric oven – and the good news is that the vendor is willing to discuss the appliance in situ.

Outside, the first part of the garden has plenty of room for al fresco dining, and there is a brick building which was a w.c. but has now lost its roof. A central gateway beckons you through to the unusually large, secret garden, which is a blank canvas to make your own. Child and pet secure behind walls, and open to the south, it’s a sun trap and it has a side gate to a right of way which runs along between adjacent buildings, ideal for bikes.

Returning inside, upstairs the guest bedroom is a double room with fitted storage and a hand basin, and across the landing, the airy principal shimmers in Laura Ashley paper on a feature wall. There is a double fitted wardrobe, and the en-suite has heritage fittings, a shower attachment on the bath and a separate w.c. Private at the top, the third bedroom is also a double with fitted storage and a hand basin, and the bathroom opposite has all you need to start with, including natural light.

Agent says:
“One of the few south coast villages directly on the sea and surrounded by the protected downland of the South Downs National Park, Rottingdean attracts national and international buyers wanting fresh air and a healthy lifestyle within easy reach of Brighton, Lewes, London or Gatwick as well as good schools and privacy for their children. Homes in this historic High Street do not come on the market often, as it is a prime location.”

Where It Is:
Shops: Rottingdean High Street outside, Brighton Marina 10 mins drive.
Station: Brighton Station 12-20 mins by car.
Seafront or park: Seafront 2 mins on foot, Beacon Hill Nature Reserve 5 mins.

Closest Schools:
Primary: St Margaret’s C of E, Our Lady of Lourdes RC.
Secondary: Longhill.
Sixth Form: Longhill, Brighton College, BHASVIC, MET, BIMM.
Private: Roedean, Brighton College, The Old Grammar School Lewes, Bede’s.

The coastal village of Rottingdean is a breath of fresh air, popular with families and professionals as it has good schools and plenty of local shops, cafes and restaurants to explore. For those who love the great outdoors, as well as the protected 628,2 square miles of the South Downs National Park and beaches on the doorstep, you can cycle along the pedestrian undercliff walk to the yacht club (and cinemas and waterfront restaurants) of Brighton Marina and the County Hospital in about 20 minutes. Approximately a 15 minute drive to Brighton and Hove’s international city centre, bus routes – with bus lanes- along the coast and to the universities at Falmer are fast and frequent giving older children a degree of independence and with speedy access to both the A27 and A23, Gatwick and London become a possible commute.